My neighbor across the street was given an extra ADT sign that they got from a friend who already has service with them (Security Service). He put that sign on his property and a few days later a ADT rep stops by and asks if he would like to start up service with them. I guess they knew he didn't have service. He declined and few minutes later noticed that his sign had been removed from his property by the sales agent.

Can they legally take away your sign off your property just because you don't have service with them? You see plenty of cars who have these car alarm stickers on their car announcing their car is "secure" but they really don't have one installed. The only difference, is usually those stickers are fake companies where as ADT is real. But still, does it give them the right to take the sign?

The sign may be the property of ADT, and the usage of it may be a privilege extended to ADT customers only. They may very well be within their rights to recover property they own if doing so can be done without causing property damage or loss to the homeowner with the sign.

There's no way for ADT to prove that your neighbor's particular ADT yard sign is the property of ADT. And even if ADT put serial numbers or bar codes on all their signs to prove they owned each one (I doubt they do), someone from ADT would have to trespass on your neighbor's property to inspect it and take it back. And of course, the proper way to reclaim "stolen property" would involve the police and the courts. They can't just waltz onto someone's property and take something they claim belongs to them. That's stealing.

There's a great irony here. If this is something ADT does regularly (and it can be proven), this would make a great story for a newspaper to investigate (or at least... for someone to plant hidden cameras, catch the ADT guys in the act, and then post it up on YouTube).

Another related point: it might be illegal for someone to MAKE and SELL fabricated ADT signs (without ADT's persmission); and a paying ADT customer might be contractually obligated to pay a fine if they don't return their ADT sign when they cancel service; but it's not illegal for a person who has bought/found/made/whatever their own ADT sign to display it on their property however they see fit.

First of all, let's be clear on who took the sign. There's ADT (the company), and independent ADT dealers. A lot of the guys who work for the independent dealers are half a step above used car or spa salesmen.

That said, we have an ADT system, and I don't recall anything in the contract that refers to who owns the signs, or the use of the signs.

On a releated note those ADT asshats have come by twice offering free hardware if we let them come in and view our house. Then they'll give us a sign and the hardware but we need the install costs and monthly fee. Twice! Told them both times to get lost.

Daehawk wrote:On a releated note those ADT asshats have come by twice offering free hardware if we let them come in and view our house. Then they'll give us a sign and the hardware but we need the install costs and monthly fee. Twice! Told them both times to get lost.

It would be extremely amusing (to me) if those weren't actual ADT people but thieves in disguise attempting to case your house. It would be inventive.

Daehawk wrote:On a releated note those ADT asshats have come by twice offering free hardware if we let them come in and view our house. Then they'll give us a sign and the hardware but we need the install costs and monthly fee. Twice! Told them both times to get lost.

It would be extremely amusing (to me) if those weren't actual ADT people but thieves in disguise attempting to case your house. It would be inventive.

These scam artists find houses with an ADT sign and offer a "free" upgrade if you give then your credit card # and ADT security code.